Why People Moved in the Past 12 Months

For the past two decades, the Census Bureau has been asking the nation's movers the main reason for their move. Over the years, wanting "a newer/better/larger house or apartment" has been the single most important reason people say they moved. This reason was cited by the 17.2 percent plurality of movers in 2020-21 and by an almost identical 17.6 percent of movers two decades ago in 2000-01. 

Despite the decline in the number of movers over the decade (only 27 million people moved in 2020-21 versus 39 million in 2000-01), the primary reasons for moving have remained pretty much the same. Here are the five top reasons people moved from one house to another between 2020 and 2021...

17% wanted newer/better/larger house or apartment

11% wanted to establish their own household

  9% wanted cheaper housing

  9% got a new job or job transfer

  6% wanted a better neighborhood

Of course, people of different ages have different reasons for moving. Among those who moved between 2020 and 2021, here are the top reasons they moved...

• Aged 20 to 24: to establish own household (17 percent) followed by to attend or leave college (12 percent).
• Aged 25 to 29: wanted newer/better/larger house or apartment (20 percent) followed by to establish own household (13 percent).
• Aged 30 to 44: wanted newer/better/larger house or apartment (20 percent) followed by new job or job transfer (11 percent).
• Aged 45 to 64: wanted newer/better/larger house or apartment (15 percent) followed by cheaper housing (11 percent).
• Aged 65 to 74: "other" family reason (19 percent) followed by wanted newer/better/larger house or apartment (13 percent). In third place, 10 percent of movers in the age group said they moved because they retired. 
• Aged 75-plus: "other family reason" (20 percent) followed by health reasons (15 percent). 

Could moving closer to adult children be the "other family reason" for moving in the 65-plus age groups? The Census Bureau does not break out this reason separately but instead lumps it into the residual "other family reason." It would be clarifying if "to be closer to adult children" was detailed separately. 

Source: Demo Memo analysis of the Census Bureau's CPS Historical Migration/Geographic Mobility Tables